* It feels like the internet is slowly closing down for the festive season. My email lists and forums have gone silent, Skype garners little or no response, blogs are seldom updated. It's a bit like sitting in a big office block and seeing the lights going off until all that's left is one over your desk, illuminating the one person with an inflated sense of importance, who feels the entire corporation will collapse unless they stay on.. :-) Heck, even the spammers appear to be taking a break! So I guess there's nothing to it - I'm going to have to get a life after all.

* I'm never paying a few hundred bucks to have my couches cleaned ever again. All it took today was a bit of effort to drag them onto the lawn, some elbow grease (and Omo), a hosepipe and a hot afternoon sun - and they're looking good as new (almost). I just need to time it with a good day, and I'm sorted.

* What is it with early-teen boys and hygiene? My son has a daily bath and brushes his teeth during school terms, but come holidays and I'm lucky if I can get either of those out of him once a week! I hope an interest in girls will change all that, but right now I'm at my wit's end trying to beg/bribe/plead/threaten him into taking a good scrub and brush. Any other parents out there struggling with 13 year old boys??? Or have I got a unique specimen on my hands?

* One feature of this new Blogger thing is REALLY bugging me. If I post after midday, it refuses to acknowledge a 24-hour time and labels my posts as 12 hours previous! In other words, posting now (9pm) means my posts are labelled 9AM! Unless I physically go change the post time. Quite irritating. It won't take the 24-hour setup from my computer clock, or the fact that I'm "GMT+2", nor is there anywhere on settings to change it. Perhaps if I complain loudly enough...?

* I have been very lax in my exercise routine this week - instead I've been busy at home, at the shops, doing other things than walking for an hour and a half. Still moving, but I actually miss the slog around the 10km or so route. It could be just as well though, as it's been very hot in the afternoons. Not good walking weather unless you're trying to drum up a spot of heat exhaustion.

* I'm itching to get some woodwork done lately. I wish I could inherit a huge pile of planks and strips and logs, a few chunky pieces of tree and a circular saw. I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head that I want to try out. The only things lacking are cash - and electricity in the garage. I've asked for it to be checked many times, but no luck. Perhaps I should take my drill to someone in a threatening manner? :-)

* I'm getting old. Barely gone 9 and I'm ready to crawl into bed... Afternoon naps are very attractive too these days. Or maybe it's just the end of year slump. Thus saying, I am the weakest link - goodbye.